WGO Training Center in Soweto, South Africa
The first WGO Training Center was founded by Professor Isidor Segal in 1999 in Soweto, South Africa and serves as an example for other training centers. The African Institute of Digestive Disease (AIDD) has since been "adopted" by the South African Gastroenterological Society (SAGES) and the highly successful training program has been extended to include other centers around South Africa. The program is now known as the South African Gastroenterological Society Academy of Digestive Diseases (SAGES-ADD).
Read about the concept and curriculum of the training center here ( PDF file 
)
The institute is located at the Chris-Hani Baragwanth Hospital which, with 3200 beds is one of the largest hospitals in the world. As a center of excellence, the Insitute trains doctors in endoscopy-including diagnostic upper and lower gastro-intestinal endoscopy, as well as interventional Endotherapy procedures. Another crucial function will be to teach research methodology related to diseases common in Africa. Although “Western” diseases such as colon cancer, inflammatory bowel disease and gallstones are uncommon, major killer diseases in Africa are diarrhea in young children, viral hepatitis and AIDS affecting the digestive system. Since the opening of the Institute, health workers from the Ivory Coast, Kenya, and Uganda have been among those to undergo initial training courses.
Contact person:
-
Professor Reid Ally
- Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital
- AIDD
- Old Potchefstroom Road
- Johannesburg
- South Africa
- Tel: +27-11-933 9485
- Fax: +27-11-933 8921
- E-mail: aiddgit@mweb.com
Dr. Reid Ally and staff outside the Training Center